Yesterday, we commended Bush for the encouragement he offered a young teen girl battling addiction by citing his own struggle and recovery as an example for her to emulate. We followed our comment with some examples of contradictory thinking on his part, thinking he seemed unable to understand exemplified skewed logic:
- His failure to address the 3,000,000 children who are victims of child abuse in America every year.
- The war in Iraq, which has taken parents from children here and in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Now, today we learn that he has vetoed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, a program that has received wide bi- partisan support in the Congress but doesn’t have enough support in the House to override a veto. Bush’s logic and it’s inevitable outcome:
- The Democratic bill would allow adults into the program.
- Expand the program to higher incomes.
- Raise taxes.
- Therefore: Children out in the cold.
Apparently his demands aren’t total deal killers, however. He’s more subtle than that. He merely made a classic strategic my-way-or-the-highway offer of compromise which could never be accomplished even if all sides agreed. His demand: all children eligible for the program must be located and enrolled. Then, adults and those in higher incomes can be covered.
Question: How can more than one million homeless children under the age of 18, who shift from place to place regularly, be located, identified, and recorded?
In the meantime, millions of children live without adequate medical care. How can this be in the world’s richest nation?
Because no one seems to grasp the utter disconnect between a public expression of encouragement to a teen and the high-powered machinations of politicians who are able to get up in the morning, look at themselves in the mirror, and head for a doctor’s office because they have a taxpayer-funded health care plan.
This is the holiday season. The least our “leaders” could do is deliver America’s children a Christmas present, or a Hanukkah present, or whatever label you prefer. A present without a label would also suffice.
SF Bay Area 